Uniform aerosol deposit sampling device

Abstract

A uniform aerosol deposit sampling device includes a first housing and a second housing. The first housing has an air inlet and a first chamber. The second housing has an air outlet, an second chamber, a filter holder and a flow guiding portion. The filter holder is provided for securing an air-penetratable supporting pad and a filter media. The flow guiding portion is a substantially conical and gradually narrowing. The flow guiding portion has a semi-conical angle ranged from 15 to 85 degrees. So, the flow guiding portion makes the entire air flow smooth and evenly distributed. The aerosols will be evenly distributed and uniformly deposited on the filter media. And, it is easy to evaluate the amount and composition of the aerosols.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the disassembled condition of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an actual application of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the aerosols on the filter media of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a portion of the aerosol distribution of the present invention observed by a microscope;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the third preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the disassembled condition of the conventional device;

FIG. 8 shows the actual application of the conventional device;

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the aerosols on the filter media of the conventional device; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view showing a portion of the aerosol distribution of the conventional device observed by a microscope.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a uniform aerosol deposit sampling device as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It comprises a first housing 10 and a second housing 20.

With regard to the first housing 10, it has an air inlet 11 and a first chamber 12. The air inlet 11 connects with this first chamber 12. The air inlet 11 has an air inlet cross-sectional area a1. The first chamber 12 has a first chamber cross-sectional area a2. The air inlet cross-sectional area a1 is smaller than the first chamber cross-sectional area a2.

About the second housing 20, it includes an air outlet 21, a second chamber 22, a filter holder 23 and a flow guiding portion 24. The air outlet 21 has an air outlet cross-sectional area a3. The air outlet 21 communicates with the flow guiding portion 24. This second chamber 21 connects with the first chamber 12. The second chamber 21 has a second chamber cross-sectional area a4. The second chamber cross-sectional area a4 is larger than the air outlet cross-sectional area a3.

Furthermore, this filter holder 23 is disposed between the second chamber 22 and the flow guiding portion 24 for securing an air-penetratable supporting pad 91 and a filter media 92. The flow guiding portion 24 is a substantially conical and gradually narrowing along its flow path. This flow guiding portion 24 has a semi-conical angle ranged from 15 to 85 degrees (so as to obtain the best result).

As illustrated in FIG. 2, it shows the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The air inlet 11 of the first housing 10 engages with a conventional aerosol size-selective sampler 93. The air outlet 21 of the second housing 20 connects with an air pump 94 for drawing air. Hence, it can be secured on a user's body or placed on a predetermined position in a working place (such as in a working environment that generating atmospheric aerosols and particles).

Once the air pump 94 is turned on, it draws air into the aerosol size-selective sampler 93. Finally, the air will leave the air pump 94. During this air-flowing process, the aerosol size-selective sampler 93 only allows certain-sized aerosols 95 (such as Silica or the like) into the present invention.

These aerosols 95 carried by the flowing air move into the aerosol size-selective sampler 93 and then arrives the first housing 10 through the air inlet 11. These aerosols 95 continue to move toward the second chamber 22 of the second housing 20 via the first chamber 12. However, when the air stream pass through filter media 92 and the air-penetratable supporting pad 91, these aerosols 95 stay and deposit on the filter media 92 (as shown in FIG. 3).

After a period of time, the detected amount of the aerosols 95 (the aerosols 95 can be Silica or other object) in the working environment can be measured by weighting the filter media 92. Hence, the mass concentration of silica in a specific working environment may be detected.

Furthermore, the flow guiding portion 24 is disposed between the second chamber 22 and the air outlet 21. The second chamber cross-sectional area a4 is larger than the air outlet cross-sectional area a3. So, the flow guiding portion 24 is shaped as substantially conical and gradually narrowing along its flow path. Therefore, the air stream can flow through the entire flow guiding portion 24 very smoothly, so that these aerosols 95 (or aerosols) will be evenly distributed or uniformly deposited on this filter media 92.

Referring to FIG. 3 (which is an enlarged view), the air smoothly flows through the entire flow guiding portion 24 and then pass through the entire filter media 92 in an evenly distributed condition. Therefore, no matter in the first position P1 or the second position P2, the aerosols 95 collected will be substantially the same. Meanwhile, these aerosols 95 are evenly distributed.

As shown in FIG. 4, due to the characteristics of uniform deposition, when someone needs to calculate the amount of these aerosols 95, this person only needs to calculate a small portion of the entire area and then multiply by certain number by using conventional statistical methods. For example, if the filter media 92 is equally divided into 1000 smaller portions. This person only needs to calculate the total amount of aerosols 95 (assuming there are 100 aerosols) in one smaller portion, and then multiply by 1000. Then, the total amount of these aerosols 95 on the filter media 92 can be calculated. This method is easier.

Practically, the aerosol size-selective sampler 93 can be a conventional aluminum-made aerosol size selective sampler.

The air pump 94 can be a conventional high volume personal sampler.

About the filter media 92, it can be 37 mm (diameter) with 5.0 μm PVC (polyvinyl chloride) filter media or other commonly-used existing one.

In addition, based on the actual requirement, the size of apertures or resistance of the filter media 92 can be altered, so the distribution condition of the collected aerosols 95 deposited on the filter media 92 will be changed accordingly.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, it shows the second preferred embodiment (which is modified from the first embodiment). The first chamber 12 of the first housing 10 furthers includes a conical portion 13. The conical portion 13 also has a semi-conical angle θ. This angle θ may be same or different to the semi-conical angle θ of the flow guiding portion 24. In fact, the exact angle can be adjusted by the design requirement. In this embodiment, the conical portion 13 makes the second chamber 12 of the first housing 10 gradually expanding so that the entering air flows very smoothly. Also, the aerosols 95 in the entering air are evenly distributed.

As shown in FIG. 6, it is the third preferred embodiment that is modified from the second preferred embodiment. It further comprises a straight channel 14. This straight channel 14 increases the space of the first chamber 12 significantly. Hence, the air flows more smoothly and the aerosols 95 become more evenly distributed.

Practically, the aerosol size-selective sampler 93 and the first housing 10 can be formed as an integral structure.

The advantages and functions of this invention can be summarized as follows:

[1] flow guiding portion makes the entire air flow smooth and evenly distributed. Due to the sloped conical surface, it can guide the air flowing smoothly. So, the air flows through it at a steady and smooth condition.

[2] The aerosols will be evenly distributed and uniformly deposited on the filter media. Since these aerosols are carried by a steady and smooth flowing air, the aerosols will stay on the filter media under an evenly distributed condition. Therefore, the user can divide the total area into many small and equal areas. Counting the amount of aerosols in one small area and then multiplying certain number by using statistical methods can obtain the total amount of the aerosols. Thus, the data will be more precise than before.

[3] It is easy to evaluate the amount of the aerosols. Because the aerosols will stay on the filter media at an evenly distributed and uniformly deposited condition, the use can count the amount of aerosols in a specific small portion of the entire area. After which, the user can multiply certain number. Moreover, the user can analyze the composition of the sampled aerosols only detect a small portion of the entire filter media, since the sampled aerosols have uniformly deposited on the filter media.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the above embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A uniform aerosol deposit sampling device comprising: a first housing having an air inlet and a first chamber, said air inlet connecting with said first chamber, said air inlet having a cross-sectional area being smaller than a crosses-sectional area of said first chamber;a second housing having an air outlet, an second chamber, a filter holder and a flow guiding portion; said first chamber connecting with said second chamber; said filter holder being disposed between said second chamber and said flow guiding portion for securing an air-penetratable supporting pad and a filter media, said air outlet communicating with said flow guiding portion, said air outlet having a cross-section area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of said second chamber, said flow guiding portion being a substantially conical and gradually narrowing, said flow guiding portion having a semi-conical angle ranged from 15 to 85 degrees.

2. The uniform aerosol deposit sampling device as defined in claim 1, wherein said air-penetratable supporting pad is a paper-made plate with a plurality of tiny holes allowing air to penetrate through; and said filter media is made by PVC.

3. The uniform aerosol deposit sampling device as defined in claim 1, further comprising: an aerosol size-selective sampler engaged with the air inlet of the first housing; andan air pump mounted on the air outlet of the second housing to drawing air in.

4. The uniform aerosol deposit sampling device as defined in claim 3, wherein the air pump is a high volume personal sampler.

5. The uniform aerosol deposit sampling device as defined in claim 3, wherein said aerosol size-selective sampler and said first housing are formed as an integral structure.

6. The uniform aerosol deposit sampling device as defined in claim 1, wherein the first chamber of the first housing furthers includes a conical portion so as to make the second chamber being substantially gradually expanding.

7. The uniform aerosol deposit sampling device as defined in claim 1, wherein the first chamber of the first housing furthers includes a conical portion so as to make the second chamber being substantially gradually expanding and a straight channel, said straight channel being provided for increasing the space of the first chamber.